Government Internship Programme Misses
the Mark
The Government’s internship plans for
graduates will not solve the graduate unemployment problem,
according to recruitment expert Jonathan Fitchew of Pareto Law, a
specialist graduate placement and sales training company.
Fitchew claims the government plan to
subsidise internships for graduates is merely a way to massage
unemployment figures and that resources would be better
spent introducing vocational elements to non-business degree
courses. He explained, “Most geology graduates will not be
prospecting for oil; instead they are more likely to be working in
a business environment, yet their courses contain not the slightest
preparation for the world of commerce or management. Why not
introduce communications skills modules from the outset or basic
business management practice instead of yet another specialisation
relating narrowly to the degree subject?”
“At the same time careers advisors need to
take a reality check and open their minds to careers such as sales
and sales management. In our service-focused economy sales is
one of the most important aspects of any business, but we need
careers officers to embrace it as a legitimate career choice.”
Fitchew also believes there is nothing wrong
with graduates gaining work experience in shops or factories where
they will be unlikely to use their degree but will gain valuable
skills in terms of working in teams and general work
discipline.
“Bright graduates are still turning up late
for interview with piercings and trainers and expect to get away
with it. A few months working in a supermarket would teach them
some valuable lessons that would serve them well as an introduction
to the harsh realities of the working environment. They don’t need
an internship with an international corporation to learn that.”